Longitudinal and transverse arch support



May 19', 1925.

O. HEITZMANN LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE ARCH SUPPORT Filed July 14, 1923 gar'- Patented May 19, 1925.

OSCAR HEITZMANN, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURX, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF STEINEKE, OE' ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

y y 1,538,040 PATENT OFFICE.'

To nnrnmcn LONGITUDINAL Ann'rannsvnnsn Anon: snrr'onr.

' Application filed July 14, 1923. Serial No. y651,454'.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OsoAn HEITZMANN, citizen of the United States, residing'at St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have in-' This invention relates to arch supports and the primary object 'of the invention is to provide a rdevice of this/kind` that is Aparticularly adapted for the prevention land correction of broken down transverse arches ofthe ball of the human foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arch support which effectively supports the longitudinal and transverse arches of the human foot and which will prevent the breaking down of the sha-nks of shoes.

A further object is to provide a construetion which is simple, efficacious and comfortablein use, and that may be made at a low cost.

With the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparaent as the nature of the. invention is better under stood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the dra-wing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a top plan View of an inner sole having an arch support applied to the under surface thereof, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon line 3 3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4: of Figure l.

Referring more in detail to the drawing,

- the present invention is shown applied to the under surface of an ordinary inner sole 5 and consists of an upper plate 6 of suitable rigid material such as tempered steel. This plate is of a length to extend from the forward part of the heel to a point beneath the inner metatarsal bones of the foot and is preferably' formed with a narrower Central portion so asto avoid discomfort due to pressure upon sensitive portions of the foot at this point. 4 i

The plate 6 is preferably attached to the insole 5 by means of lrivets 7er the like, and

Ithe Aforward end thereof is broadened and formed with an upwardly directed hump 3 adapted to give support to the transverse arch ofthe foot under'the inner metatarsal bones, or between the first and fifth metatarsals. The hump Sispreferably formed to occupy a major; portion of the width ofthe forward end of the plate 6 and gradually tapers narrower rearwardly and also gradually merges with the plane of the rear portion of the plate as shown in Figure 1, so that this hump is of substantially arch shape in plan as shown in Figure l, thereby aceurately fitting the arch of the foot between the first and fifth metatarsal bones in such manner as to insure comfort to the wearer and proper. support of the arch. It will also be noticed that the outwardly curved side of the hump is located at the outer side of the insole and that the major dimenf sion of the hump is located with its axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the insole. By forming the bump in this manner, more efficient and satisfaetory'results vhave been obtained than is had by the use of segmento-spherical humps such as have been used in prior devices of this nature.

It will be noted that the forward end of the plate 6 terminates rearwardly ofthe point of iieXure of the foot so as to not interfere with the ease of walking, and as this.

plate is curved slightly in a longitudinal direction, it will provide ample support for the longitudinal arch. Also, by reason of the stiff material from which plate 6 is formed, it will act as a shank stift'ener for preventing breaking down'of the shanks of shoes.

A longitudinal.relatively narrow spring plate 8 is disposed beneath the plate 6 and has its rear end attached as at 9, by riveting or the like, to the rear portion of the plate 6 just forwardly of the rear end of the latter, and the forward end of this plate 8 is provided with a hump 10 substantially of the same form as the hump 8 of the plate 6, but of slightly smaller size so that the forward end of the plate 8 will have a slidl frmg 011longitudinali:and anterior 01 hump 8, and will be guided in the latter What I claim as nevi? isz-` 0135.nioyenientlongitudinally .gofytlie idnsole. Inaglide,amsupporloaledin 011511011513?, in use tthe @fenfratPQrt-Lon o. them ifol;gealdipu-Ppert.,inlsengein upper plate 8 Will be flexed downwardlydso as tou the shank 1 platel having a rear end portion, an inter- 5 occupy a normal position inA slightlyI spaced "nde'diatepb portion conca-ved longitudinally `lrelation to the -plateffd When tliefnd and"zf'fr'ntirend p'o'i'tion lWeight is placed upon the supportftliis` plate 'connected'v tovll the intermediate portionby a Will yield upwar'llyand tend to, straighten.:llillmpmand Q;second plate y applied to the for givingthe desired'fcushion 'ele'ct-V By underside of thef'firs't mentioned plate and thereof andprtially under the forward end Ward ends in this manner, it is only necesy thereof, tllefekltlecend, nlatel-be111g-bumped .Sary t@ p17-onde; Olwfrivetfoif. atteelneent 0f ,he tw?) PilatesrteieeChI-f other@ and:.tlleiora Si1lilrly t0 the firs iwrdlfend ofatheSeringwlate isfeifetively, ha- Vineits weergeeft guided and held against lateral swinging;3fthe,'lowenurfface y Aevfextremely Simple durable a providing the platqwyvitll l.intferfittinge) .;'for-, ex tendingi{Il nlerV the intermediate portion ned p ate and]y 

